Health minister calls for integrated approach to achieving SDGs.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain today stressed the need for integrated planning and joint initiatives involving all relevant ministries, including water, education, social welfare and local government, rather than relying solely on the Ministry of Health, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Health services cannot be ensured merely through medicines or syringes, stressing that disease prevention must be given priority,” he said while addressing the National Conference on SDG Implementation and Review held this afternoon at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.
The Health Minister said, “Alongside education, law and order and reducing gender discrimination, sectors such as water, education and social welfare must be brought together with the health sector to achieve SDG 3. SDGs cannot be achieved merely with medicines or saline; the foundation must be disease prevention, which the Prime Minister is giving the highest priority.”
Highlighting the sanitation situation in rural areas, he said, “People must be made aware to ensure safe drinking water and prevent diseases. After touching dirt with their hands at markets or elsewhere, people are again conducting transactions using the same hands and money—we must change these unhealthy habits and lifestyles.”
Referring to the water crisis in coastal areas, the Health Minister said, “There is a severe shortage of safe drinking water and salinity in the southwestern region, forcing people to drink yellowish water. I raised the issue at the Paris Conference last month, where assurances of international cooperation were received. At the same time, parents must be made aware of the harmful effects of excessive mobile phone or screen addiction among children, as well as junk food or fast food.”
Urging the Planning Commission to take action, he said, “The SDGs cannot be achieved by placing the entire responsibility solely on the Ministry of Health. An integrated plan involving all relevant ministries, including water, home affairs, social welfare and local government, must be formulated. The desired success can only be achieved if the relevant ministries meet at least once every two months and jointly implement the plan.”
He highlighted the prevention of child marriage, mothers’ awareness, the importance of breastfeeding, and historical aspects of promoting vegetables and nutrition since the time of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.
He said, “The SDG targets must be achieved through a joint working method and implementation by all ministries, rather than through isolated or separate initiatives.”
Centre for Policy Dialogue Distinguished Fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman chaired the event. Water Resources Minister Md Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee and reserved women’s seat Member of Parliament Anna Minj spoke as special guest and guest of honour respectively.
Health Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury and Directorate General of Health Services Additional Director General Professor Dr Foara Tasnim, among others, were present at the event.
